The present invention relates to rotating machinery such as gas or steam turbines and, specifically, to a quill or mounting block configuration for supporting an axial proximity probe used to measure axial movement of the machine rotor.
Quills used for the axial proximity probes direct the probes parallel to the machine axis, and position the probe normal to the surface being measured. This current quill configuration does not allow easy assembly of the proximity probe hardware. The result is expensive proximity probes are sometimes destroyed during their installation. Of even more concern is the fact that, if the probe cannot be detected at fault during the installation process, then the problem reveals itself as an oil leak through the probe during the unit""s operation. The unit then has to be shut down and the probe repaired. This is an expensive and time consuming process.
The present invention relates to a new quill configuration which supports the proximity probe at an angle of 10xc2x0 from the horizontal axis of the machine unit. The new quill allows accurate measurements of the rotor""s axial movement with the advantage of easier installation without any compromise in the accuracy of the probe measurement.
Accordingly, in its broader aspects, the invention relates to a quill component for supporting a probe used to measure axial movement or a horizontally arranged rotor in a rotary machine, the quill comprising a block adapted to be mounted on a bearing component of the rotary machine, the block having a probe bore extending through the block at an angle of about 10xc2x0 relative to the horizontally arranged rotor.